Elliotte Friedman says the Florida picks are in play for the Blackhawks, which puts the Panthers in the middle of a league-wide trade conversation.
Chicago is 4-13-1 and sits 31st in the NHL, so every move the Blackhawks make draws attention. They have lost six straight, the latest a 9-2 loss at Carolina on Saturday.
Friedman was asked this afternoon about Chicago's draft capital, and he said he definitely thinks "the Florida picks are in play."
He was less sure about the Blackhawks' own pick. Friedman said he doesn't know that they're looking at trading it, and he pointed out that they traded the 4th overall pick last year for Bowen Byram.
The Edmonton picks are also in play, according to Friedman, and he added that he "obviously" believes two second-round picks could be as well. That is a long list of draft assets for a team at the bottom of the standings.
For Panthers fans, it's a strange place to see the franchise's name. Florida is 9-7-2, 16th in the NHL and fifth in the Atlantic, and it comes off a 4-1 loss at Boston on Sunday that stretched its losing streak to two games.
What we still don't know about the Florida picks
Quite a lot. Friedman didn't say which Florida picks he meant, and he didn't name a trade partner, a player or a package. This is a rumor from a respected insider, not a deal, and the post doesn't give a timeline.
The part worth watching is whether Chicago keeps its own pick while shopping everyone else's. A team with a minus-37 goal differential has holes everywhere, and Friedman's own read is that the Blackhawks may not want to part with their pick. That reads as the right instinct to me. Moving other teams' picks for help now is easy to defend. Moving your own after a start like this is a much harder sell.
Florida has Columbus on Tuesday and no time to think about any of this. Chicago hosts Buffalo on Thursday, and every trade report between now and then will be read with this one in mind.
Quick hits
NEW YORK ISLANDERSMathew Barzal sits out tonight in San Jose, but his knee injury is now day-to-day. That's a better outcome than Islanders fans feared.
LOS ANGELES KINGSKevin Fiala skated on a line with Quinton Byfield and Corey Perry at practice today, according to Zach Dooley. Watch whether it holds for the next game.
WASHINGTON CAPITALSWashington has recalled 34-year-old defenseman Justin Holl from the Hershey Bears before the road trip, the team announced. A veteran depth move.
ST. LOUIS BLUESLogan Mailloux has been activated from injured reserve, Jeremy Rutherford, Lou Korac and Matthew DeFranks all confirmed this afternoon. The Blues' blue line is getting a shake-up.
OTTAWA SENATORSThe Wild have placed defenseman Cam Crotty on waivers, and Bruce Garrioch reports the Senators have the first right to reclaim him. Steve Staios now has a decision to make.
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